Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-27
Church Progress In the United
AZ. States. 4

The New York 1ndependen, has been
1t pains to prepare statistical summary
showing The present strength Of the
various Christian denominations in this
country. The 6gnres are placed IN
comp .rison with those of a like ill.,
vesti CATION by the a'mc leri"iiodic"l
four years ago. There are found III 1887
to be 1872. .435 churces. 91,8ll ministers,
and 19,01s,o77 COMMITMENTS, Or "mem-
berss." In 1883 there were 1850
churches, 81 III ministers, and 17,267.17s
communicates. This looks like any
thing else than that stagnation anil
positive decline 10 Christianity Of which
we hear so much in certain quarters.
The gain cf four years is9,69t ministers
1926 churches, aud abont 1,750,OOo
members. That is, the COMMITMENTS
have Increased by ten per cent, and the
ministers and church organizations but
about Twelve per cent. The statistics
arc as accurate az it was possible to
obtain, and their general reliability Is
hot to be questioned. About one person
in three of the entire population of this
country is a communn icant in some
Christian church. In order Of member
chip streg,h the Methodist are first. the
Roman Catholics second, the Baptists
third, the Presbyterians fourth, the
Lu,heJans fifth, the Congrega'iona)is,s
sixth and tho Episcopalians seventh.
All Of these denominations have made
very subst tantial gains, and some OF them
very large gains, in the pas, four years.
Contrary TO an opinion that seems to
have found currency the so-called
liberal" churches are not growing,
while the so.caled "or,hodox" or
"evangelical" churches are making the
mos, decided gains. The Uniyersalist~
have suffered net loss Of "a curches,
40 ministers and 6SS members in the
brief period Of four years. This must be
accounted rapid decline in view Of the
country's growth in population. The
UDitarians hase held their own, which,
of course, is a relative decline. They
repor, the same number of members as
four years ago, although they have three
more church organizations and twenty
five more ministers on their rolls.
The Catholic churches in America is
growing steadily, but to the Protestant
churches belong most of the gains re-
ported. There are now 6,910 Catholic
churches, as against 6,24l four years ago
This is gain OF 897 in a total church
increase Of 1895.
The Methodists. comprising some
fourteen branches, have altogether 47,3O:
churches, the increase of four years rein:
5,5Sl, with 555,7S3 gain in ii total mem
bership now reaching 4,532,658. Th
Catholics have an estimated membershi]
Of 100000, the number Of each parlsl
being much larger than The averag
Protestant church membership. Th
Baptisss Of all branches are credite
with 4O,S54 churches, 1880 ministers
and 8,727 ,020 members. Presbyterian
are not quite onethird as strong as tn
Baptists
Commenting upon these Statistics tn
Independent truly says: lit is contrar
to all known physical laws that thel
should Ike vigorous, life and growth in
moribund body. IfChristianity is rea|l
in the declining stage, something sti
called by lis name has its heritage {
vitality and productivness. *** 9h
increase in churches has been 15,32'
This means gain Of 1881 every yes
and more than 10 every day. And ever
new society means new building
new building means an investment {
money, and such investments mean
faith in the present and future of Christ
anity. The increase Of ministers is 9,6e
which is about 10 per cent, and is at til
rate Of 81 day or 2,423 a year. Thi
too, is an indication that the allege
decay Of faith is purely imaginary. IL
churches must have some vitality If thu
can 90 on adding 2,400 ministers ever
year to the great army already
ommisson, and furnish means for the
support"